I Matter! Youth Poetry Competition Reflects on the Racial Injustice in America
Nonprofit organization National Youth Foundation (NYF) has announced an “I Matter” national poetry competition for students K-12. NYF is inviting original submissions from students nationwide on the subject of why Black Lives Matter.
“The contest has been designed to provide the youth of the country with an outlet to process and express their thoughts, feelings, fears, and hopes,” said Sophia Hanson, co-founder of the NYF. “The death of George Floyd and the deluge of stories and videos which illustrate the deep roots of racism in our country has inspired us to launch a creative writing program to allow students an opportunity for self-expression.”
The National Youth Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of children through creative educational programming. Their mission is to promote inclusion and gender and racial equality while helping young students develop their literary skills through academic and team-building projects. NYF was founded by three women of color who believe passionately inequality. Given the landscape of the philanthropic world and the lack of diverse representation in leadership in this sector, Sophia Hanson and her co-founders are looking to shift this paradigm.
NYF is inviting students from grades K-12 to submit one original poem by the deadline of July 23, 2020. The contest is open to residents of the United States and must be on the topic of Black Lives Matter. The winning writer will receive $500, and the poem will be published in an NYF compilation book. To learn more about the “I Matter!” poetry competition, please contact Jamee Joppy at 610-742-3671 or email [email protected].
